Type-writing machine.



F. WALSLEBEN. TYPE wamm'e mcnmef APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28. Hi3.

FRED WELSLEBEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0

UNDERWGGD COMPUTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPO- RATIDN 9;? "NEW YORK.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

Application filed November 28, 1913. Serial No. 803,454.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED \VaLsLEsnN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Queens, city ot-New York, in the county of Queens and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Imspacing mechanism heretofore; so that instead of initially giving the line-spacing nnechanism a quick throw, the source of power'first returns the carriage, and at the final portion of the return movement thereof, the line-spacing is effected, utilizing largely the momentum of the carriage.

'lhus'the necessity is avoided of imparting to the platen a sharp or quick line-spacing nmvement, which is liable to effect a relative displacement between the platen and the work-sheet or sheets. thereon. A part on the carriage engages a part on the machine frame, so that the movement of the carriage itself causes the line-spacing mechanism to operate.

The opposition offered by the line-spacing mechanism to the movement of the carriage, 1

lessens the shock due to the momentum of the carriage, and the carriage 1S brought gradually to rest. The speed of the return- .ing carriage. which is not very great, does not impart an excessively rapid movement to the platen, and hence there is no liability of the platen creeping aheadof the work sheets, or ot'the work-sheets creeping ahead of the platen in line space direction.

Moreover, since the line-spacing is accomplished by the movement of the carriage, it becomes practical for the operator to return the carriage by a handle on the righthand side thereof, the handle being placed directly upon the carriage. All the operator needs to do is to take hold of said handle and run the carriage back as far as it will go, the line-spacing operation being automatically performed. The operator, therefore, has the option of returning the car riage either by the use of the right-hand handle, or by the use of the carriage-returning handle which is usually placed at the left-hand end of the carriage, and which is usually also a part of the line-spacing mechanism. Some operators are apt to give the line-spacing handle too jerky a movement, thus not only tending to effect relative displacement between the platen and the worksheet thereon, but also tending to injure the mechanism; but by means of the present improvements this difficulty is avoided, since the operator can return the carriage by means of a separate handle usually provided at the right-hand end of the carriage, and at the conclusion of the. return stroke of the carriage the line-spacing mechanism will be slowly operated.

In order to accommodate short runs of the carriage, where it is desired to leave a broad blank margin on the left-hand border of the work-sheet, the device whiclroperates the linespacing mechanism carried by the adjustable margin gage, which is usually provided for regulating the extent of the return stroke of the carriage. As this gage is adjusted for various lengths of written lines, the line-space actuator is adjusted with it, so that the line-spacing operation takes place at the proper time in the proper manner at the conclusion of-each return stroke of the carriage, whether-such stroke be a short one or a long one.

Another advantage gained by the present improvements is' that the difficulty is avoided which has heretofore been experienced, of

connecting up poweralriven device to the line-spacing mechanism of a. typewriter, such connections usually being numerous and complicated and liable to get out of order and apt to be unsatisfactory in use.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear. '1

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a sectional front elevation of the left-hand portion of the front of the carriage, showing details of the mechanism which actuates the line-spacer during the return of the carriage; the normal position of the line-spacing device being shown in dotted lines, and the position of the same atthe end of the line-spacing operation being shown in full lines.

Fig. 2 is a perspective of a margin gage having fixed thereon a rack which is adjustable with the margin gage and is brought into use at the conclusion of the return stroke of the carriage to effect the linespacing of the platen.

Fig. 3 is a part sectional perspective View of a part of the frame of an Underwood front-strike typewriting machine, and the carriage, platen, and platen frame thereof, showing the parts in normal positions.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation taken through the margin gage, the pinion, and racks which operate the line-spacing mechanism.

' Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a modified line-space actuating mechanism.

'The usual platen 1 is journaled by axle 2 in frame 3, on a carriage 1. The types make successive impressions, until a line is written, the carriage feeding step by'step under the control of a rack 4 thereon and an escapem'ent pinion 4E". The carriage 4 is then returned to theright (to start a new line of writing) by suitable power-driven means, which maybe a power pinion 5 to.

engage rack 6, fixed on the rear of the carriage. The pinion itself may be controlled in any well-known manner, to start and'stop rotatin 1 To e "ect the line-spacing of the platen 1,'

a pinion 7, pivoted. on the carriage 4, is forced when drawn along bythe latter, to rotate, by reason of its engagement with a stationary rack 8, and thereby the pinion is caused to draw back or to the right a second rack 9, connected to line-space lever 10. The latter has an arm 11 to force back a plunger 12, which carries a pawl 13 into en gagement with one of the teeth 14 on linespace wheel 15, and thereby rotate the.

platen 1.

The rack 9, which is drawn back or to the right. bylthe pinion 7 to line-space the platen, works in a track or groove 16,

" which is protected by a plate 17. The forward or left-hand end of said rack is formed with a neck 18, passing beneath the linespace lever 10 and having an ear or lug 19 to engage and rock the said lever. forms a free-Way or lost-motion space to the right of the line-space lever 10, whereby the latter may be operated manually Without disturbing the racks or pinion.

The stationary rack 8 is fixed upon the usual righthand margin gage 20 and, is adjustabletherewith along the front rails 21 and 25. The gage 20 carries a margin stop .26 in the path of a stop,27 on the carriage,

the stop 26 forming an obstruction to arrest the carriage 4 at different positions corresponding to the adjustment of the margin gage 20. This margin gage may be locked This in place by a dog 22, releasable by a fingerpiece 23, and adapted to enter teeth 2 1 along the rail 25.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modified form in which a rack 8 corresponding to the rack 8 is carried by the carriage, and is normally in mesh with the pinion 7. The but-t end.

of the rack 8, however, projects in advance of the carriage stop 27 (Fig. 8) a considerable distance, so as to strike the margin is also protected by the cover plate 17 andv is provided with a. guide slot 28 to engage a stud 29.

The line-spacing mechanism also serves as a buffer to relieve the shock when the carriage strikes the stop at the conclusion of the return stroke. Moreover, it insures a smooth, even and relatively slow rotation of the-platen, and hence a proper advancement of the work-sheet. The spring 30 returns the plunger 12 and pawl 13, and hence also the line-space lever 10. The latter in turn, draws the rack 9 forward, or to the left, as the pinion 7 runs along the rack 8 or 8 toward the left-hand end thereof, when the carriage 4 again moves in letterfeeding direction.

The operator may return the carriage by means of .a handle 31 provided upon the right-hand end of the carriage, the linespacing being efiected automatically at the concluding portion of the carriage stroke,

. the carriage, he can do so by means of the handle 10.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the imprdvements may be used Without others.

Having thus describedv my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a carriage, of a line-spacing device upon said carriage including a rack which extends in the direction of the run of the cariage, a pinion upon said carriage meshing with said rack, and a rack upon the machine frame to engage said pinion at the final portion of the run of the carriage from returning to begin a new lineof Writing. I p

2. The combination with a carriage, of a line-spacing device upon said carriage including a rack which extends in the direction of the run of the carriage, apin-ion upon said carriage meshing with said rack," a rack upon the machine frame to engage stationary rack, and a said pinion at the final portion of the run of the carriage from returning to begin a new line of writing, and a margin gage adjustable gin on the ieftdiand border of the worksheet, the last-mentioned rack connected to the margin gage to be adjusted therewith.

3. The-combination of a carriage, means connected directly to said carriage to return the same, a line-spacing mechanism, means actuated by the return movement of the carriage as it approaches the end of said movement for operating said line-spacing mechanism, a margin gage for said carriage, means connected. to said margin gage to be adjusted therewith for cooperating with said line-spacing device as the carriage coin: pletes its return movement, said -margin gage device including a rack and said carriage having a pinion in mesh with said rack, and a connection between said pinion and said line-spacing device.

a. The combination of a carriage, means connected directly to said carriage to return thesame, a line-spacing mechanism, means actuated by the return movement of the carrings as it approaches the end of said move ment for operating said line-spacing mechanism, a margin gage for said carriage, means connected to said margin gage to be adjusted therewith for. cooperating with said linespacing device as the carriage compietes its return movement, said margin gage device including a rack and riage having a pinion in mesh with said rack, and a connection between said pinion and said line-spacing device, said line-spacing device including alever which is manualiy operable independently of said'margin gage rack or device.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a cariage, means for returning the same to the starting point of the writing line, a platen carried on said carriage, mechanism for line-spacing said platen, a rack connected to said line-spacing mechanism, a pinion pivoted on said carriage to draw back the said rack and actuate the line-space mechanism when said pinion moves over said stationary rack.

6. in a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, means for returning the same to the starting point of the writing line, a platen carried on said carriage, mech-i anism for line-spacing said platema rack connected to said. line-spacing mechanism, a stationary rack, and a pinion pivoted on said carriage to draw back the first-men tioned rack and actuate the line-space mechanism when said pinion moves over said. stationary rack, the latter being positioned to engage the pinion and cause the operation of the line-spacing mechanism as the carriage nears the starting point of the writing line.

to determine the width of the mar- I carriage,

said can line-spacing 7 In a typewriter, the combination of a carriage, means for returning it to the starting point of the writing line, a platen carried on said carriage, means for line-spacing said platen, a rack connected to said 'linespacing means, a stationary rack, a pinion pivoted on said carriage to draw back said firstgnentioned rack to actuate the line-space mechanism when said pinion passes over the stationary rack, and meansfor adjustably locating the position of the stationary rack.

8. In a typewriter, the combination of a means for returning it to the starting point of t m-v writing line, a platen carried on said carriage, mechanism for line so spacing said platen, a rack connected to said line-spacemechanism, a margin stop, a rack on said margin stop, and-a pinion pivoted on said carriage to draw back said rack and actuate the line-space mechanism when said pinion passes over said rack on said margin stop. I

9. The combination with'a carriage, of a laten rotatably mounted on said carriage, ine-space mechanism for said platen, and

a driving train for operating said line-space mechanism, said driving train including a rack and pinion traveling with said carriage and a rack stationary relative to said carriage, said stationary rack acting toefiect a driving action of said line-space mechanism by coming into mesh with said, pinion and causing the latter to drive said traveling rack. 10. The combination with a traveling .carr'iagc, or a platen rotatably mounted on said carriage, a line-space mechanism for rotating said platen, a pair of oppositely facing racks, a pinion interposed between them and controlling their relative traveling move- 3.05 ment, one of said racks being arranged to actuate said line-space mechanism when a relative traveling movement exists between the racks, and means controlled by the travel said relative travelno I of the carriageto efi'ect ing movement.

11. The combination with a traveling carriage, of a platen rotatably mounted on said carriage, a line-space mechanism for said v platen, a pair of: oppositely facing racks, a pinion interposed between them, one of said racks being arranged to, actuate said linespace mechanism when a relative traveling movement exists between the racks, said racks being normally inactive but brought into activity when the carriage reaches an intermediate position during its travel, and a margin gage adjustable to determine a limit of travel of said carriage, and. also to determine the instant at which the racks are brought'into operation to effect a linespace movement of said platen.

M12. The combination with a carriage, of a device upon said carriage, including a rack which extends in the direction of the carriage travel, pinion upon the carriage meshing With said rack, and means to engage said pinion at the final portion of the return movement of the carriage and .cause the pinion to be rotated on its axis by the movement of the carriage during said .fin'al portion of its return movement to thereby actuate the line-spacing device.

13. The combination with a carriage, of a llne-spaclng device'upon said carriage, 1ncludln'g a rack which extends in the direction of the carriage travel, a pinion uponadjustment of said gage;

14. In a typevvriting machine, the combination of a carriage; a'platen thereon; linespacing mechanism, including an operating lever; and a device for actuating said lever called into play automatically by the carriage, after the return movement of the latterhascommenced, said device comprising a pairof spaced, parallel racks, one of which is connected to said lever, and a pinion mounted on said carriage to travel therewith and interposed between said racks, so as to mesh with both racks and-thereby effect an endvvise movement of the first-named rack,

the other rack remaining stationary during a portion of the return movement of, said carriage, so as to effect the rotation of said pinion. at such time. I

15. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage; a platen thereon; linelever to pull the samewith it when so shifted, the other rack engageable With said pinion after a portion of the return movement of the carriage has been completed and remaining stationary in such engagement throughout the remainder'of said carriage movement, so as to effect the rotation of said pinion at such time.

16. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage; a platen thereon; linespacing mechanism, including an operating lever; and a device for actuating said lever called into play automatically by the car'- riage, after the return movement of the latter has commenced 'said device comprising a pair of spaced, parallel racks, one of Which has a lug to engage said lever, and'a pinion mounted on said carriage to travel therewith, and interposed between said racks, so as to mesh With-both racks, and thereby effect an endwise movement of the first-named rack, the other rack remaining stationary during a portion of the return movement of said carriage, so as to elfect the rotation of said pinion at such time; the lug on said first-named rack being spaced from the body thereof, to permit said lever to be operated independently of said actuating device.

FRED WALSLEBEN. 

